


Not an Obligation

by wynnebat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Mentors, Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, POV Kingsley Shacklebolt, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24361531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wynnebat/pseuds/wynnebat
Summary: Kingsley loses a great candidate for the auror department. He's not even sorry about it.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Kingsley Shacklebolt
Comments: 17
Kudos: 394





	Not an Obligation

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by anonymous - "not everything should be an obligation".
> 
> Could be considered to be in the same 'verse as [Remedy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20466449).

The months following the war are almost as bad as the war itself. No one's dying at least. Kingsley feels as if his soul might be, just a little, but years of bureaucracy have inured him to the ministry's antics. Kingsley was appointed interim minister while the country was deep in mourning and an election was in poor taste. He's not happy about it—he was happy at the DMLE for Merlin's sake—but it makes things easier. People keep asking him about his reelection campaign and he has no answers to give. No, he's not planning to run. No, there are no other candidates who don't have ties to the pureblood upper class. Yes, his friend and undersecretary is already making campaign posters.

He takes out the trash. Sometimes literal—whole parts of the ministry had been damaged in various attempts to seize it, or just because the Death Eaters could. Sometimes metaphorical—some of the ministry's now former employees tried to hide their crimes behind the Imperius curse or other excuses. Kingsley sent them to the courts, which were having the busiest time in recent history.

He works with the most vital departments to make sure they have enough people to function. He tries to make sense of the budget, which had been a mess even during Fudge's time. He considers sleeping at his desk, but his employees kick him out by ten in the evening. He makes sure that no one bothers Harry too much while the kid and others in his graduating class shuffle between the ministry, Hogwarts, and the rest of the country, helping with the rebuilding and take the census. The number of confirmed deaths during Voldemort's reign just keeps growing.

And three months after the final battle, the auror department opens admissions for training.

Kingsley does some of the initial interviews after the candidates are screened. He doesn't have time to meet with everyone, but he wants to do this one thing. It's something he used to do, something he's good at. And maybe, he wants to meet the new crop of aurors that will be taking his and Tonks' and Moody's places. Harry's name on the list hadn't been a surprise; the whole world knows of his intention to become an auror. His interview is at eight in the morning and he arrives to Kingsley's office wearing a spell-pressed robe and bags under his eyes.

"Why do you want to be an auror?" Kingsley asks after all the pleasantries, which mostly involve asking Harry if his friend Hermione wants to take Kingsley's spot yet. It's free to a good home. (Hermione has already said to ask again in fifteen years, which Kingsley will hold her to.)

"I want to be in a position to help people," Harry replies.

Kingsley nods. Standard answer. It's not what he's looking for. Maybe he shouldn't press. Harry's a friend, young as he is, and he's a shoo-in for the program. Nothing Kingsley says will make a difference. Still, he asks, "Why specifically the auror department? If you want to help people, you could do any number of things. Join St. Mungo's staff, open a food kitchen, start a charity."

"I guess I—" Harry stops, brow furrowing. "It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do. Professor Moody—the fake one, but I think the real one thought I was alright too—said I'd be good at it, and so did Professor McGonagall during my career advice session."

"Alright," Kingsley says. "But you do have other options. The auror department will be thrilled to have you. All I want to do is make sure you don't join out of obligation, or because you haven't considered other careers. You just fought a war, kid, after years of Voldemort trying to kill you. It won't hurt to take some time to yourself to figure things out. Think it over, alright? And if you want to be an auror, then that's what you want to do."

"I— okay," Harry replies, looking doubtful. "Thanks, Kingsley."

Kingsley huffs, shakes his hand and escorts him out of his office. Harry doesn't sound enthused about being asked to take some time, which doesn't surprise him. He remembers being seventeen on the cusp of eighteen and thinking he knows exactly what he wants to do with the rest of his life. And maybe he had—Kingsley gave nearly two decades to the DMLE. It's only that he wants to make sure that Harry is prepared to do the same, or he'll wake up in a couple years with a job he hates and a life he doesn't want.

A few days later, Harry finds his way to Kingsley's office and asks about other jobs in the magical world, since Hogwarts doesn't do much in the way of career training.

"I wasn't sure who else to ask," Harry admits, sheepishly. "But if you're busy I can—"

"Sit down, Harry," Kingsley says, and starts telling him about the more interesting of the careers he's encountered, ones that could interest the parts of Harry's problem-solving, tenacious personality that waged a war against a Dark Lord.

The auror department certainly blames him when Harry retracts his application in a week's time, citing that he doesn't think the department is a good fit. Kingsley doesn't give a shit. Harry looks happier without the weight of obligation on his shoulders. It's enough for Kingsley to know he did a good job. Even if Harry takes revenge on him by cheekily letting the Daily Prophet know he supports Kingsley's candidacy for minister of magic.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm also on [Tumblr](https://wynnefic.tumblr.com/).


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